Chokecherry Prescribed Burn Declared A Wildfire

Press release from Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands

The Chokecherry prescribed fire on the Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest was declared a wildfire at approximately 4p.m. March 12, 2026. Although forecasted weather conditions were within parameters for the implementation of the prescribed fire, the wind event that took place 36 hours after ignitions ceased caused a spot fire that spread outside the project boundary.

Named the Road 203 fire, the Nebraska wildfire is approximately 14 miles East of Thedford, 2 miles South of Halsey, and 2 Miles West of Dunning and is estimated at 35,000 acres. Fire managers have called in additional resources, including air support and a Complex Incident Management Team. The Road 203 Fire is burning in mixed sandhill grassland prairie with some pine understory. Due to the remote location of the fire and the challenging terrain, the strategy will be full suppression. At this time, there are no direct threats to private property, and public and firefighter safety are incident priority.For this evening, spot weather indicated continued dry and windy conditions with poor overnight moisture recovery. It’s anticipated that the strongest wind gusts should remain west of the area with expected  speeds peaking around 25 to 35 mph. Colder air including the possibility  for light snow arrives late Saturday into early Sunday as a strong cold front moves through the area. The influx of colder air will promote daytime highs around 30F with humidity minimums in the 40-50% range Sunday afternoon.Smoke from the Road 203 may be visible from the communities of Dunning, Halsey, and Thedford and along Highway spur 86B. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at  https://fire.airnow.gov/   to find more detailed information about air quality.There are currently emergency closure orders for both Nebraska National Forest and McKelvie National Forest as managed by the Bessey Ranger District, as both forests are experiencing wildfire activity. Firefighter and public safety remains our top priority. Please See Forest Closures on the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands Alerts  webpage. Fire updates will be posted on Inciweb, the  Nebraska National Forest website and on the Nebraska National Facebook social media page. For more information, contact the Bessey Ranger District.